Mural
by Stitchpunk Six
Summary: Two stitchpunks, 5 & 6, leave the safety of their sanctuary on a search for color. Stalked by a terrible underground monster, the two must stand together to prove that friendship CAN conquer anything. Bad summary sorry! Before the movie events.
1. Chapter 1

A sigh.  
So despondent in nature and in tone, but it seemed to fit the desolate surroundings that the simple sound echoed through. Another. The source of the melancholy sound seemed to be a rather down-in-the-dumps figure, perched on a spool of thread and looking about his meager surroundings through a single optic eye. 5's demeanor was not normally one of such sadness, though he often worried or fretted, he was usually more positive than this. He slid from his seat and stepped to the edge of the desk he was watching from, looking around the self proclaimed 'throne room' that 1 used. He looked around, he could see 1 in the chair at the far back, with 8 close by, they were always there, 8's job was to protect all of them, but 1 used him more as a body guard to himself, it was selfish, it angered 5, but what could he do against the leader, he gave them safety, if you could call it that. The engineer sighed defeated, he was too much a coward himself to stand up to 1.

His gaze moved from the pair to the little artist, his mind taking on a new train of thought and leaving behind his dark pondering, 6 was siting off on his own, had 5 been on the ground, the artist would be hidden from view, scrawling away in a feverish manner at the paper in front of him, it was quite a sight, watching the stitchpunk draw in an almost desperate manner, like his life depended on the ink and paper. He had seen 6 there so many times, drawing the same thing, and wondered if he ever wished to do something different, he'd never carried out a conversation with the recluse, not many had, except maybe 2, the only one who seemed to see sense in the manic artist. That wasn't totally true, 5 saw sense, he knew there had to be more to his art than simple obsession, why else would he draw it so many times, it covered his walls, scattered around other drawing of the monsters they'd fought and other gruesome scenes. But nothing of substantial beauty, the art was beautiful in itself, but it was mostly chaotic and un-controlled, 5 pondered what it would look like if the artist tried to draw with color and control, though he kind of liked his formless style.

5 didn't realize he was being spoken to until a small pebble clacked against his head, he jumped horribly and nearly lost his balance, looking down to see a very perturbed 1 standing in the center of the room below, scowling at him, "Y-yes sir?" He stuttered out in a nervous voice, the leader glared malice at the one-eyed doll, "Instead of daydreaming, 5, why don't you make yourself useful and go out and scout." His voice was like a low growl, proof he was angry. The one-eyed doll chose not to argue, not that he ever would, he nodded obediently,"Of course, y-yes sir..." He turned and started away, then heard 1's voice as it faded, he was speaking to 8 as the left the room, he came back to the edge and looked over, seeing 6 still there by himself, he didn't seem to notice that he'd been left more or less alone. A smile played on the engineer's lips, he started to climb down by the thick string that he'd put there for the very purpose.

He dropped to the ground after a long climb and panted a little, looking around and spotting the artist's little nook where he always stayed. He was almost afraid of how 6 would react, he'd never shown violence before, but, as 1 said, fear was a strong force, so he approached with caution. The little artist didn't seem to hear him walking twords him, or he heard but was too lost in his mind to notice. 5 watched him for a moment, scrawling away with what looked like so much passion for what he was doing, he always seemed so engrossed, 5 often wondered what made him the way he was. He shook his head to escape his pondering and felt the sudden sense of being watched, he looked ahead and jumped when he realized 6 was staring directly at him, how long had he been watching him? He tried to smile, though it was lopsided and nervous, "Oh...Uh..6.." The artist continued to stare at him, or was he staring through him, he could never tell one from the other, he wasn't even sure if he was acknowledging what 5 was saying, but he went on anyway, "I need to go..Out...And 2 is..busy, I need an extra set of hands. Would you come with me?" He stood there feeling awkward under the crooked gaze of the manic painter, but finally he spoke, "Him. 1. Is he?" He looked back nervously, "Can't go.." 5 shook his head and knelt beside him, "1 wont find out, don't worry I'll..I'll keep you safe.." Another long moment of those mismatched eyes staring at him before he spoke again, "Yes. Then..I'll go." The fear was evident in the striped doll's voice.

5 smiled as he led the hesitant one outside, he had his cross bow in the pack held around his back, he'd promised 6 he'd keep him safe, and he planned on doing just that. He looked around the desolate, crumbled area, feeling 6 pressed close and shivering, the artist never left much, and 5 began to wonder if bringing him was a good idea. 6 caught him looking and immediately straightened up, as if trying to put on a show of bravado, though from his it still looked pretty nonthreatening, 5 had to admire the little guy's attempt. He patted his back and smiled, "It's alright..I..I'll keep you safe, 6." He tried to sound confident, though he felt nothing of the sort, he wasn't much for fighting, but if it came to that, he would. He took the artist's hand and led him on, feeling the reluctance in the way he pulled back every now and then. Again 5 felt the doubt, that this idea could be a bad one, that he could be leading them both to their deaths, he cringed at the thought of death, the one thing the doll feared more than any injury or pain. He looked at 6 and flashed him a warm smile, which was returned with a reluctantly cheerful one, he was afraid.

6 had felt uneasy since they left, it wasn't fear of the outside that made the striped stitchpunk feel this way, it was the feeling rising in him that something terrible was coming, he pulled back and stopped at every sound he heard, or thought he heard. The feeling was not unlike the feelings he got when a vision took him, strange and foreign, and yet he couldn't place the source of the feelings. They disturbed him none the less. He would normally be apt to explore with 5, he loved being around 5, he never treated him like he was different, like 1 or 8 did. But the feeling of disaster was making the doll queasy, and he knew 5 could tell by the way the older doll kept looking back at him with concern. He was glad for it, knowing that he was cared for, he knew 5 would protect them.

5 couldn't repress the panic beginning to rise in him slowly, he felt as if he'd seen this scenery before. He tried to deny it, kept on telling himself it wasn't true, bu somewhere in his subconscious he knew. He'd gotten them lost.


	2. Mural: The Attack

Mural- Part 2

Time passed, what felt like hours, bu who could tell in this barren place? The two were growing weary, and 5 didn't want to admit it, but he was lost. He wondered if 6 knew it, the striped doll was usually very in tune with the feelings around him. He glanced over at the little artist to see him with his head bowed, his feet dragging. 5 put a hand on his shoulder and looked at him, "We should rest...It's getting dark..." 6 merely nodded and followed him to a pile of junk that 5 quickly fashioned into a makeshift shelter. The two stitchpunks sat together. 6 brushed against him, sitting so close their sides were touching. 5 could tell he was uneasy, and wracked his brain for solutions to the problem, he smiled and looked at the little doll, "Want to hear a story?" He remembered it from something 2 had told him, a fable, is what he called it. 6 nodded and turned, watching him intently as he started off into his tale.

"2 told me this was about the wind and the sun...He never told me where he learned it from..Knowing him it could have been from anywhere.." He smiled and went on, "It goes...Something like this.." 5 began shakily as he struggled to remember, but his telling became more smooth as he went along. He told of the wind and the sun fighting over which was stronger, which they settled by conest, who could make the man remove his coat first. 6 listened with intrest as he drew to the conclusion of his fable, "In the end, the sun won, because he did not use violent force to remove the man's coat, like the wind shone down on the man until it was simply too hot to keep the coat on." He saw that his companion seemed calmer, "It's peaceful...At night.." 6 nodded and then went rigid, his mismatched eyes becoming distant, "S-something..."

5 looked a him with concern, forcing the panic not to rise in his gut, "What is it, 6?" The artist stood and backed up, "Something coming...Below..." His breathing was fast, and suddenly 5 could feel it to. A horrible rumbling, getting stronger as if some terrible monster was charging at them. He clutched 6 by the arm and got very close to his face, whispering, "Climb up to the top of this pile...Don't look back..." 6 swallowed and started to follow his directions, then turned and dropped down, landing beside 5, "I'm...I'm n-not gonna leave you behind..." The terror was clear and raw in his voice. 5 looked at him for a moment, admiring his reluctant courage, he nodded. The noise rose in volume until it seemed to be all around them. 6 had made a terrible mistake dropping to the ground, he'd alerted the beast to their exact location.

Terror siezed 5 as the ground below began to break, as if some great snake was slithering just below the surface. And just as quickly as it had begun it stopped, leaving the two standing rooted to the spot. 6 clutched 5's arm to the point that it hurt, the fear was evident on his face, "W...What was that?" 5 whispered so only 6 could hear. 6's eyes were unfocused and distant, "Down below...Down below..." He started to step gingerly back to the pile, 5, without any other option, followed. The two began to climb up, getting as far away from the ground at they could. The rumbling began again. Suddenly the ground below broke open and a great beast rose forth, it's body was long and sectioned, like a great millipede. The size of the beast was monumental, especially to one of such a small stature as the frightened stitchpunks.

5's eye dilated at the sight of the beast that seemed to have come from the pits of hell itself. It appeared to be blind, driven only by the vibrations in the earth, a blessing and a curse. 5 felt 6 shaking beside him and shook his head, "We have to get away from the ground..." His voice quivered and betrayed how scared he was. 6 saw his own fear reflected on 5's face and nodded, climbing up. 5 reached the top and helped his friend onto the ledge, but the beast would not be avoided so easily. The creatures powerful sensors picked up on the vibrations from rubble falling from the pile as they climbed, it turned it's teeth filled jaws on the pair and rose higher. snapping devastating pincers and letting out a guttural hiss. 5's instincts told him to run, but he couldn't leave the artist behind, who seemed rooted to the spot with fear.

Thinking quickly, or perhaps not thinking at all, 5 took hold of a hunk of metal and leapt from the ledge, jamming the thing between the jaws of the beast. He dangled over it's open mouth, hanging onto the object for dear life, "6...Run!" He called desperately, which seemed to shake the striped doll from his stupor. He jumped up and looked at the scene below him, "No!" He took a deep breath and leapt over the side, landing by sheer miracle on the metal chunk that fixated the jaws open. He gripped 5's hand and pulled him up just as the beast thrashed it's head and sent them flying. 5 grabbed ahold of 6's key as they flung through the air, crashing into a pile of junk.

5 opened his eye and got focused, seeing the beast charging twords them. He pushed 6 off of him and pulled him off the pile back to the ground, "Run!" He knew it was a futile effort, but it was all they had left while he formulated a plan. He pulled 6 by the hand as he ran slap-dash across the rock strewn ground. 6 felt panic thrill through him, his breath was coming in short gasps as he tagged beside his friend. Suddenly 5 stopped, turned, and pulled the crossbow from his pack, "6 go find cover...Go!" He barked at 6, who followed the order, hiding behind a large concrete slab and shaking as he watched his friend facing off against the beast.

5 took deep breaths to calm himself at it neared closer, coming right onto him as he aimed to shoot. But the beast was quicker. He saw stars as an enormous pincer crashed into his body and sent him flying, slamming him into the concrete slap that 6 was hiding behind. He fell limp onto the ground in front of 6, who's eyes were stretched wide with horror. The striped doll reached out a hand and then emerged, dragging his fallen comrade behind the cinder and staying totally still. By another miracle the beast began to retreat, obviously finding the chase not as fun when there were no moving targets. 6 took 5's hand and looked at him with terrified eyes, "5...5..." His voice shook and he trembled. 5 was gone, lying limp in front of the artist. He pulled his friend into his arms and sobbed, here was one of the only few who showed the artist real kindness, and he was gone. 


End file.
